Wednesday, March 21, 2007
don of the universe...IV - final
"Are you cold out here granddaddy?" came a soft voice.
"No dear, I'm fine. Thanks." I replied. I'd been spending a lot of time out here at my son's house, just sitting, watching the Palouse sunsets over their little flower farm. It was peaceful here, and not as lonely as it had been in my old house after my wife had passed away some years before. My son and his lovely wife had agreed to take me in and let me live in their spare "mother-in-law" apartment. That was nice.
"Kayleigh's waking up dad, you want to hold her?" Sure son. My fifth grandchild. A little girl. So beautiful and fresh. My son lay her in my weakening arms gently, as she cooed and smiled at me.
"I'll just be in side helping make dinner for us, ok dad?" said my son as he raised himself up, confident that his daughter was secure in my arms.
"Ok. We'll be fine. Thanks." I said. After a few minutes of silence, as the red summer sun set in the northwest, casting a candlelight glow on the face of my granddaughter, something in her face came into focus. "I was wondering when you'd show up." I said.
"Yes. I'm here." said Don. Don and I had been talking off and on, over the years. He'd been there at the birth of each of our children, and grandchildren. He stood aloof during the funeral of my wife two years before, and now, here he was again, in the face of my newest grandchild. We'd talked a lot, Don and I, over the years, but right now, it seemed like everything we needed to say or ask, had already been talked about. We sat in silence.
"There's peace here." he said.
"Yes. I like it here." I replied.
"I'm glad I had the time with you that I did." he said. "But I wish there was more time for us."
"You. You're funny. You have all the time in the universe." I chuckled.
"That's the problem," he said. "I never get to see what else there is, or even if there's anything else."
"Oh." I said, finally understanding his troubled expression. We sat in silence for a while longer.
"You're going to leave this place soon." he said. "It's time to pass me on to someone else."
I knew what he meant. I called to my son to come and get Kayleigh, who was peacefully gazing at the blue and purple sunset sky.
"You ok dad?" he said, taking his daughter in his arms.
"Yes son. Never better." I said with a slight smile.
He walked back in with her, and the sounds of their little family drifted out to the porch where I sat. I pulled the blanket that had been covering my legs up a little higher as the cool chill deepened in the darkening air. The smell of dinner wafted out on the air like an elixir of home. I felt peace. I felt happy. I felt full and finished. Slowly, I started to feel my left arm go numb. There was a slight tightening in my chest, then darkness and warmth and peace. From a distance I could hear someone yelling, then silence. I had left. I had gone where Don could never go, but so much desired to go. Though I left the universe that day, forever, my divided soul carried on in the ones I left behind.
Artist - Album - Song
Flower Kings - Stardust We Are - Don of the Universe
Photo credit: Keeping Watch, by Doug Fredericks.Labels: don of the universe
